


Your Pain Is My Pain

by Eastofthemoon



Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Humor, Mother Nature can be your worst enemy, Spoilers, petty revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 19:19:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9252194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: Jim may not be able to harm Strickler without hurting his mother, but he realizes that doesn’t mean Mother Nature can’t.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't planning on writing Trollhunters fic, but this realization wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it.

Jim was in no mood to go to school that morning, and it was only confirmed after walking up the stones steps and saw Strickler’s face smirking at him as he passed by his office. Jim’s fists tightened on instinct. He never craved to punch someone so much in his life. It even top his anger from when he punched Steve, but he couldn’t.

Not just because he’d have a hard time explaining why he punched their principal, because frankly the risk of expulsion seemed worth it, but majorly because it would hurt his mother. Strickler had done a lot of things, yet using his own mother as a shield, after claiming he cared about her, was low even for him.

Jim sighed as he stormed to his locker and suppressed the urge to bang his head against it. This sucked, this sucked so much.

A light touch to his shoulder eased the tension as he turned and saw Claire giving a sympathetic smile.

“Hey, you doing okay?” she asked.

Jim huffed. “After finding out that one of my worst enemies has literally soul bond his to my mother's? Just peachy.”

Claire’s eyes narrowed as she leaned against the locker. “Don’t suppose Blinky has found anything yet?”

“He’s been looking, but so far nothing,” Jim replied as ran a hand through his hair. “I just don’t know what I’m going to do.” He chewed his bottom lip. “I have to stop Strickler, but how can I do that without hurting my mom?”

Claire gave his shoulder a squeeze. “We’ll find a way, Jim, I know we will. We just have to be patient.”

Jim gave a half smile back. “Yeah, you’re right..thanks.”

Claire gave a smile back, but got caught off as she winced.

Jim frowned in concerned. “You alright?”

Claire gave a forced smile as she waved her hand. “Oh, I’m fine really,” she said as she grasped her stomach. “I just...have some cramps, no biggie.”

Jim blinked, and then his brain clicked. He glanced around to make certain no one was nearby to hear before whispering “Is it...your time of the month?”

Claire’s eyes widened, and briefly Jim was afraid she embarrassed her. He knew for some girls it was a private subject, but she chewed her lip and gave a slow nod. “Um..yeah.”

“Do you have pads?” he asked again in a soft whisper.

Claire seemed surprised by the question and silently shook her head.

Without missing a beat, Jim reached into his bag and handed over a wrapped pad he kept in a side pocket. “Here,” he said as he discreetly handed it to her. “I have a couple more if you need it.”

Claire’s eyes widened and an expression of relief washed over as she slipped the pad into her pocket.

“Oh my God, Jim you’re a lifesaver,” she stammered. “It literally started after I got here and I usually keep some in my locker, but with everything going on I just forgot..” She paused and raised an eyebrow. “Wait, why do you have them?”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Claire, my mom’s a doctor. She’s never bothered to keep ‘how the female body works’ a secret from me.”

Quite frankly, Jim never understood why so many guys seemed freaked out by the subject. It was simply how girls’ bodies worked. It never seemed like a big deal to him.

“Ookay,” Claire said, “but why do you have pads in your backpack?”

“Because I’m prepared,” Jim replied simply with a shrug. “I figured since you were now regularly hanging out with me and Toby, I better keep some on hand for emergencies.” He rubbed his neck. “Unless it bothers you, so I can stop-”

“No, no, no, that’s totally fine,” Claire said hastily and blushed. “It’s just most of the guys I know are too embarrassed to even hear about it, let alone keeping pads on them.”

Jim scoffed. “I picked them for Mom up all the time when I buy groceries,” he said. “I figured it’s the least I could…”

He trailed off as a thought struck him and he grasped his chin. 

_If Strickler is injured, Mom gets hurt too, but..does that mean…_

“Jim?” Claire asked.

Jim gave a nod as he placed swung his backpack over his shoulder. “Be right back,” he said as he rushed off. “I need to confirm something.”

He didn’t wait for Claire to respond before dashing to where he last saw Strickler. He found him still standing by the school doors smirking as if he ruled the entire kingdom.

His eyes met Jim and he casually tucked his hands into his pocket. “Is there something you wish to say to me, Young Atlas?” he said with a chuckle. “I am suppose to met your mother for lunch, so I could pass on a message for her.”

Jim ignored the comment, at least for the moment as he eyes hardened. “That enchantment with you and my mom,” he asked, “does it goes both ways?”

Strickler’s grin dropped as he raised an eyebrow. “How do you mean?”

“If Mom feels pain, than do you also?” Jim asked, hoping his theory was right.

Strickler scoffed. “Well, yes of course,” he said and gave a mocking gasp. “Why, Young Atlas, you’re not going to use your own mother to get to me are you?”

Jim only replied with a delighted grin. “Oh, no, just wanted to confirm,” he said with a small wave. 

The boy quietly snickered to himself as he left Strickler tilting his head in confusion.

Jim didn’t approach Strickler until a couple of days later. After he confirmed his mother had everything she needed, he got to school early for once and sat on the school steps waiting. He patted the bag he had brought with him as he spied Strickler approach the school, but in much slower style than normal.

His face was in pain and he was grasping his side, but the second he spotted Jim he straightened his posture and forced a grin.

“Well, you’re early for once,” Strickler commented smugly. “If you keep this up Young Atlas you may be able to eventually graduate.”

Jim shrugged. “Oh, well, I figure I better get here early,” he said as he reached into the bag and held out a few bars of chocolate. “So, I could offer you these.”

Strickler blinked in confusion and then narrowed his eyes as he scoffed. “And why exactly would I want chocolate? Is this some feeble attempt as a peace offering?”

Jim’s wicked grin didn’t vanish. “No, no, but I know Mom likes it as comfort food when she’s having cramps.”

Strickler paused, slowly his grin vanishing. “Pardon?”

“Oh, you know,” Jim said with a laugh. “When she’s having menstrual pain.”

Strickler continued to frown in confusion, but then ever so slowly his eyes widened as the meaning of Jim’s words struck him.

“I figured since you two share pain now, then you must be feeling it too,” he said and sucked air through his teeth. “And, I mean, it must suck for you. Mom’s been able to tolerate it for YEARS, but for you, experiencing it for the first time….Well, I might not be able to hurt you, but Mother Nature sure can.”

Jim could hear Strickler’s teeth grinding. “I. Am. Fine,” he commented.

“Oh, I’m sure you are,” Jim said as he rose to his feet and started to walk to the doors, only to pause and shake a finger. “Oh, one more thing.” He grinned. “Mom says the third day is ALWAYS the worst, so better brace yourself.”

Jim really wished he had been able to take a photo of the look of horror on Strickler’s face before walking back up to the doors. It wasn’t much, but a bit of payback sure felt good.


End file.
